Wenstrom, Erik, Factory Owner and Farmer — Laurel — born in Gamla Pershyttan, Västmanland on 12
September 1859. In his youth, he worked in iron mines and as a charcoal burner.
In April 1880 he traveled to America. For two years he was a farm worker in
Wisconsin and after that he spent the following fifteen years working in mines
in Montana. He came to Oregon in1898 and settled in Laurel, Washington County
where he has stayed with the exception of the summer of 1900 when he was in
Nome, Alaska.

Wenstrom has worked partly
with farming, partly with forestry. He owns 100 acres of farmland, a sawmill as
well as a flourmill, and intends to start his own millworks. In the surrounding
mountain area there are many precious kinds of wood in excess such as ash,
maple,
etc. Wenstrom thinks the area, in which he has his home, is especially
suited for Swedes to settle in as farmers etc. Wenstrom is active in civic
affairs. He has belonged to ten different organizations but has now left all but
United Artisans. In 1888 he married Annie Twigg from Canada (of English decent)
and has one son and two daughters.